X PARAGRAPHS FOR THE TEACHER 



There is a general protest against the teaching of 

 "big names" to pupils; but the pupil does not object 

 to technical terms if he acquires them when he learns 

 the thing to which they belong, as he acquires other 

 language. When a part is discovered the name 

 becomes a necessity, and is not easily forgotten. He 

 should be taught not to memorize the names. The 

 " hard" words of to-day are the familiar words of 

 to-morrow. There are no words in this book harder 

 than chrysanthemum, thermometer, and hippopotamus. 



The book should be a guide to the plant: the 

 plant should not be a guide to the book. 



Plants should not be personified or endowed out- 

 right with motives ; but figures of speech and para- 

 bles may often be employed to teach a lesson or to 

 drive home a point. 



Excite the pupil's interest rather than his wonder. 



The better the teacher, the less will he confine him- 

 self to the questions at the end of the lesson. 



Botany always should be taught by the "laboratory 

 method:" that is, the pupil should work out the sub- 

 jects directly from the specimens themselves. 



Specimens mean more to the pupil when he collects 

 them. 



No matter how commonplace the subject, a speci- 

 al vivify it and fix it in the pupil's mind. 



owing plant is worth a score of herba- 

 rium specimens. 



